The recent explosion of the bicycle industry substantially increases the demand for a universal hand tool which fits a variety of hex-type and other fasteners and which also can be used to adjust spokes of the bicycle wheels. The fasteners that are used by the manufacturers of conventional bicycles come in a great many sizes and configurations. Therefore, when conventional hand tools such as locking pliers and adjustable wrenches are used to adjust such fasteners, the teeth of such hand tools continuously strip the exterior of the fastener. Since it is difficult, if not completely impossible, to continuously use the stripped fasteners, their replacement becomes necessary. Such drawback, in addition to a substantial inconvenience, increases the cost of the maintenance and in the long run might reduce the life span of the bicycle. Furthermore, conventional hand tools or locking pliers are typically bulky and can not be kept in a storage compartment of the bicycle. Still further, conventional locking pliers can not be used for adjustment of spokes of the bicycle wheels and use of a separate spoke wrench becomes necessary.
Therefore, there is a need for a single universal hand tool having jaws which are especially configurated to provide firm gripping action on workpieces of various shapes and which tool could be used for adjustment of different types of fasteners without deforming and destroying them. There is also a need for a universal tool adapted to fit metric, english, and other types of fasteners; the tool which is capable of replacing a set of wrenches, includes a wire cutter, and could be utilized as a spoke wrench.